Las Cruces Man Faces Two Felony Animal Cruelty Charges After Dog Abuse Caught on Video

Allegedly... Rudy Esteban Baca, 25, of Las Cruces, was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center on April 15, 2026, on two fourth-degree felony counts of cruelty to animals. He is being held without bond. The arrest followed an incident at a residence on Moon River Loop that also prompted a shots-fired call and a brief barricade situation. According to court documents and police reports, officers responded to the home around 7:48 p.m. on April 14 after reports of a domestic disturbance. Baca reportedly told investigators he had a mental breakdown and "snapped" over household conditions, directing his frustration at two family dogs named Skunky and Whippy. Surveillance footage reviewed by police allegedly showed Baca throwing one dog toward a television and hurling the other against a table. After Baca called his mother to warn her, she returned home and a confrontation ensued. Baca claimed she fired a weapon at him, while the mother disputed that account. Baca then barricaded himself in a bedroom before officers made contact. Both dogs were examined and showed no visible external injuries, though a veterinary evaluation for internal injuries was recommended. No charges were filed against the mother. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.